5 Ways to Boost Employee Morale
Even when you are working your dream job, the monotony of day to day work life can be draining. It is so important for companies to focus on boosting employee morale. An employer can have a superstar employee performing at a five if they are unmotivated.
A 2010 study released by the University of Warwick showed that employees who were happy at work saw a 12 percent spike in productivity and unhappy employees productivity dropped by 10 percent.
“The driving force seems to be that happier workers use the time they have more effectively, increasing the pace at which they can work without sacrificing quality,” said Dr. Daniel Sgroi from the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick.
Here are five ways to improve your workplace morale:
Make it a competition
An excellent way to raise employee morale and also improve performance is by creating workplace challenges. Implement a wellness challenge where your employees are encouraged to take so many steps during the workweek. A 2016 limemade study revealed that 52 percent of U.S. organizations use competitive team challenges as a part of their employee engagement programs. Prizes are not always necessary for this sort of competition. The investment of rewarding an employee with a simple gift card once a month can pay off tenfold if you have a staff working at maximum efficiency in hopes of winning it. Create an environment where wellness and good performance is rewarded. Workplace wellness programs are a great way to motivate your employees to live a healthy lifestyle. Though it never hurts to give extra incentives for doing a great job.
Launch an employee volunteer program
Corporate volunteer programs are a great way to enhance your employee’s skills and create a team-building experience. As a member of the Sage family I have never felt close to the company and my coworkers then when I would be working side by side with my colleagues helping out with a charity in my local area. It creates a bond between coworkers that could never be accomplished simply on the job. Setting up paid time off for your employees to volunteer for a local charity is one of the best investments you can make. Not just for yourself or your company, but for your community as a whole. Your workers will walk away from that experience with a positive outlook on themselves as well as their company.
Communication
Don’t be afraid to talk to your workers throughout the day. Discuss trends in your industry or hot topics related to current events. Some organizations discourage their staff from talking or messaging each other throughout the office, but this practice allows your team to develop friendships throughout the company. You never know when someone could be having a rough day and this gives your employees the opportunity to pick each other up when they are down.
Recognition
I am always surprised when I hear from friends and family that their companies rarely –if ever at all—acknowledge things like professional accomplishments and milestones publicly. These are the sort of things that should be celebrated. Why work hard towards a goal if once it is achieved that the result is the same reaction as if you never did it at all? A Westminster College research study revealed that 69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated and would most likely stay with the company long-term. It is time to start recognizing your employees for their hard work. When recognizing employees create a list of criteria for acknowledgment, set a time frame for the award, personalize the experience and make it fun.
Do the right thing
When evaluating ethics in the workplace, employees always look to the executive leaders. So to be a true leader your executive team must make ethical decisions with integrity. A company that is making unfair and unethical is the easiest way to kill employee morale. Promoting an environment of honesty will not only improve employee morale but will put your company in higher standing with your customers.
